Asteroid Blues

Untimely intervention

– “Sir, there is the signal again.” – the EVO operator reported. The captain walked over to the console to check the data. This was the third time they detected the alien signal. They missed it at first time, but the second and third ones they were able to intercept. Each time something on the surface of the asteroid below responded, but when they scanned the area the sensors couldn’t find anything. But this time they were waiting for it and with the help of two other destroyers orbiting the rock they attempted to triangulate it.
– “Can you detect the source Corporal?”
– “Negative Sir. But it has move closer”
– “What about the return signal?”
– “It seems to be coming from the outskirts of the orbital battery Sir. The sensors aren’t picking up anything, but we detected a strange disturbance, it could be caused by some sort of high-tech cloaking device.”
– “Relay the data to High Command, this has to be investigated more closely.”

When the Amir learned about the nature of mission he insisted of leading the team personally. Any signs of alien incursion around Novy Bankog’s main defense facility had to be checked with utmost scrutiny. Just as the shuttle touched down near the indicated coordinates his comms officer told him that they were not alone. A group from O-12 was headed there direction and insisted they leave at once. Tarik tried to convince them about the importance of their mission but it was fruitless. They threatened with using lethal force unless the Haqqislam force leaves at ones, but this only enraged the Amir even further.

Report on the incident at the Xaraks Battery field to Haqqislam High Command from Leila Sharif.

As we started converging on the source of the signals the Monstrucker and two Fanous’ took the right flank, while another Fanous went left and the HMG bot held the center. I and the squad of Ghulams took the right center, while Tarik and his team the middle.
Soon my sniper detected movement on one of the rooftops and fired. As we later learned it was one of the O-12 pen-pushers he took down.
Tarik, still furious about O-12 ignorance about the importance of our mission, launched himself at the opposition. He caught site of a Gangbuster lurking behind one of the structures we identified as the source of the signals, firing his gun at him and killing him outright. But the Amir misjudged the distance from the two nearby Madtraps and while he was able to kick one off the roof the other attached itself pinning him in place.
The doctor from Tarik’s team realized there is nothing he could do for the Amir at this point and started edging forward next to the building. He spotted another Gangbuster behind to other antenna and felled him with his shotgun. Peeking out the corner he spotted a Siriusbot, which caught him with its Riotstopper, but not before the Doc blasted it apart in return.
The Corporal from my squad tried twice to land a grenade on the roof where three Varangian Guards and an Epsilon was sheltering but failed to hit.
The Mostrucker ordered his Nasmat to move closer to Tarik in a bid to free him from the Madtrap, and one of the Fanous’ on the right moved forward to cover the approach the antenna on the right.
One of the Varangian Guards on the roof popped a smoke, the Epsilon stood up and the coward proceeded to shoot the two REM’s on the left flank, then Tarik too, knocking him unconscious, finally he injured the sniper in my squad, all while standing in the some and using his fancy tech to keep out of harm’s way. A Betatrooper started moving forward on our right flank and destroyed the two Fanous’ there while doing so.
But this gain was short lived as even in the confusion caused by losing Tarik the Monstucker threw out a Dropbear, then staying out of the blasts radius he peeked out the corner and sprayed it with his SMG, knocking it down. The corporal tried to lob a grenade on the rooftop where the Epsilon was but failed.
The four Varangian Guards and the Serious converged on our position, and the later moved on to the antenna on the left.
We finally recovered our momentum and I took charge. The Missile Launcher operator from my team stood up and blasted the Epsilon to pieces. The Nahab showed up on the right flank, he disabled the Betatrooper for good then shot the Madtrap near the right antenna, but was surprised by a Razor next to it and was injured. The Khawarij corporal from Tarik’s team moved forward and fell the Razor, then the Sirius as well and took up position behind the Tech Coffin that was our primary target.
A second Razor showed up near the antenna on the left and was able to activate it. One of the Varangian Guards started running forward the Khawarij in the middle, and in spite of his and my missile troopers best efforts they were not able to stop her and she was able to knock out the Red Turban and take the objective from him. To our dismay she survived four further missiles that were sent her way and made it to the Antenna on the right, while the Alpha moved up to take the Tech Coffin.
Although at the end we only lost four remotes and had four injured including Tarik, the setback our investigation into the Shasvastii incursion suffered due to the untimely intervention of O-12 was a much greater loss.